The King of Liang, the feudal lords outside the town, and the generals inside

The man was leaning on a golden nanmu cane, and as he walked, the sound of the cane hitting the ground again and again hit the spacious and silent hall, majestic and solemn, everyone couldn't help but hold their breath and concentrate.

His cassock was just the most ordinary appearance, with a long beard reaching to his chest, it was already grey.His movements are slow, but clean, without giving the impression of being weak.Maybe it's because no matter how old he is, the indifference and profoundness in his body after going through thousands of sails is even more profound.

Years may take away many things, but the tolerance it creates is the best gift, which can never be compared with that of a young boy.

Bai Yu met his striding steps, bowed in salute, and said respectfully: "President Shen has returned."

The emperor and Yan Xun stepped forward at the same time.It had never happened before that the emperor walked down the nine jade steps, and the ministers all knelt down with their expressions suppressed.

He wanted to bow down, but Bai Yu hurried over to help him, the emperor stretched out his hand to stop him, saying: "Shen...no need."

He didn't know what to call this man.

He looks exactly like "Shen Qing", except that he has a longer beard and looks older.

Shen Xiang's eyes were slightly moist, he looked at the emperor and said: "The old minister has not been able to assist His Majesty in the past 20 years, the old minister is guilty."

The emperor had never seen him before, and the only "Shen Xiang" in his memory was that one, he was at a loss for a while, and turned his head to look at Yan Xun.

The moment Shen Xiang appeared in the hall, it was as if a bolt of lightning pierced the night sky, splitting the thick and dark mist, and suddenly awakened Yan Xun's long-sleeping memory.As soon as he looked at Xiang Shen, he was sure for no reason that this was the real Xiang Shen, the person he met with his father before he was ten years old.

"Chen Xiang." Yan Xun was surprised with surprise, "The boneless method that Shen Xiang taught back then was unique, and benefited my nephew a lot."

"It's a pity that the landscape on the folding fan was splashed down by the young General Yan with a cup of tea."

Yan Xun felt a little embarrassed, and said, "The folding fan was bought by the daughter of Prime Minister Chen, did father compensate it later?"

"Of course there isn't." Shen Xiang smiled brightly and said, "So if the general gets beaten later, he can't blame his old age."

Yan Xun blushed a little at the sight of everyone, and coughed lightly to cover up his embarrassment.

So now things are very clear, this old man in cassock is the real Prime Minister Shen Qing.

Bai Yu supported him, and said: "Back then, Prime Minister Shen was..." He looked at the fake Shen Qing in a blink of an eye, "I was stopped halfway by my husband Meng Qingtai and imprisoned him in Haiwei. He grew up there since he was a child, and established the A Jianghu gang named 'Stone Scorpion', and 'Fu Meng' is Haiwei's more distinguished surname, and Prime Minister Shen was unaccompanied and isolated from the outside world, one can imagine the situation in the past 20 years."

"I think he didn't kill Prime Minister Shen because firstly, he would have to rely on Prime Minister Shen if he encounters some political affairs that he can't make up his own mind in the future, so as not to be seen by others; secondly, he must also want to have a blind date with Shen Seeing himself ruined, cast aside by the world, and left with a bad reputation for thousands of years, only in this way can he get rid of his years of jealousy and hatred."

"It's a pity that no matter how much you work hard in Haiwei, you can't compare to the former king Fumengrenta. I just asked him to find out what happened on the way to pay tribute to my teacher when Shen Jingnian was there, but I didn't expect him to be able Finding the real Prime Minister Shen, I think the heavens have eyes, and Prime Minister Shen has deep blessings and good rewards."

The emperor and Yan Xun were both taken aback, it turned out that Bai Yu let Fumeng Renta go for this reason.He went on to say: "But of course, Prime Minister Shen did not become a monk. This is just to cover up his identity and let him be invited into the mansion by me in the name of an eminent monk, so as not to be suspected by my husband Meng Qingtai. Since I met Prime Minister Shen, my All doubts have been answered, and now is the time for you to get the answers."

The emperor said: "Give Prime Minister Shen a seat first, don't stand still."

Zhang Lan quickly put a stool behind Shen Xiang, and Bai Yu helped him sit down, holding his crutch.

Shen Xiang let out a long sigh, and said: "These things should start from the time when the late emperor passed away."

That year Shen Qing was already 70 years old, on the day he was about to beg for bones, but when he met the late emperor, he got a piece of news that was like a thunderbolt.

Imperial Physician Lin was also there that day, and the late emperor was wearing an ordinary dark blue robe. He leaned on the dragon chair, his eyes drooping wearily, staring at a pure gold walking swing in his hand for a moment.

Shen Qing didn't think much about it, the woman who could make the late Emperor show such an expression must be Empress Shuyuan who was six months pregnant.

He kowtowed to the people on the dragon chair as he had done decades ago, and expressed his wish to resign from office and go back to seclusion.

He is already seventy years old, and it stands to reason that the late emperor had no reason to refuse, but after listening to his words, the late emperor did not speak for a long time.Shen Qing lay on the ground, slightly raised his head in confusion, but found that the late emperor looked at him like a helpless child.

Shen Qing was puzzled for a moment, and asked: "Your Majesty, did the old minister say something wrong?"

The late emperor was only in his early twenties at that time, and he unabashedly showed a fragile appearance in front of Shen Qing.He put down the step crank, and there was a light "click", which made Shen Qing's heart tremble for no reason.

He originally thought that his resignation made the late emperor unhappy, and was about to explain again, but he heard the late emperor suddenly choked up, and said to him: "Mr. Shen, for the sake of the emperor, you can help me again."

Shen Qing took a deep breath, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty is serious! Veteran..."

The late emperor covered his eyes, and said to Imperial Physician Lin: "Help Prime Minister Shen up."

When Imperial Physician Lin helped Shen Qing up, Shen Qing met his complicated eyes.

He suddenly understood, "What's wrong with His Majesty's dragon body?"

Physician Lin looked at the late emperor, and the late emperor nodded.

So Physician Lin said in a very soft voice, "The emperor is suffering from an unspeakable disease, and I really can't help it."

His voice was too soft, for a moment Shen Qing even felt that his ears were not working, or his brain was a little dull.

What is an unspeakable disease, there is no need to ask about it, but what does Doctor Lin mean when he says he can't?unable to...

Shen Qing turned his head to look at the late emperor, the child he had watched grow up, at this moment he was not the emperor who was worshiped by all his officials, he was only 23 years old.Jing let the emperor abdicate too early, throwing all the burdens on him.

Shen Qing was silent for a moment, and asked: "How could this be? Which concubine is being indiscreet?"

The late emperor shook his head and said: "Since Wuxia entered the palace, I have rarely favored other concubines. However, about half a year ago, on a whim, I favored a maid in the empress's palace. I did not give her a place, and the empress did not." I didn’t mention it. Probably, she had been having an affair with someone in the palace long ago. After being diagnosed by Imperial Physician Lin, I asked the Queen about the whereabouts of that maid, and the Queen said that she died of a sudden illness.”

Shen Qing had already calmed down, and turned to ask Imperial Physician Lin, "I heard that some of them can be cured, are you really sure that the emperor can't cure them?"

Doctor Lin looked distressed, and said: "Reporting to the Prime Minister, this is not obvious at present, but it will be too late until the signs of death appear. I can only try my best to cure the emperor now, but if the palace maid has already died of a sudden illness , I'm afraid..." He didn't dare to continue.

"Then treat it first!" Shen Qing said, "Your Majesty, don't be too discouraged, it's normal for the maid to die, she is just a maid, no one cares about her life, even a cold may kill the servants But the emperor is different, there are so many national experts to treat the emperor, there will be no room for it."

The late emperor closed his eyes wearily, and said: "I don't want to fall to the point where my whole body festers and dies. Fortunately, since Wuxia became pregnant, I have never favored her again, otherwise she and the child in her womb are afraid..."

Shen Qing frowned, "Then what about the other concubines? Especially the empress."

The late emperor said: "The empress is also pregnant. I haven't pampered her for a long time, so she's definitely fine. As for the other concubines, it's only two or three times... Let's see how they behave."

After that day, the first emperor fell into a slump and quickly lost weight.Shen Qing knew that it was not entirely due to illness, the late emperor had a serious heart disease, and he could survive without illness.But no matter how much he comforted him, the late emperor's health was only deteriorating. The more he was like this, the more certain he was that he was terminally ill.

This matter was too ugly, so naturally it couldn't be spread to let the people in the world know, except for the first emperor himself, Shen Qing and the imperial physician, even Empress Shuyuan was kept in the dark.Fortunately, she was pregnant, and the late emperor would not arouse her suspicion if he did not get close to her.

The queen mother asked the first emperor to posthumously concubine Zhen the court lady, and the title was determined by the queen mother, which sounds ironic.

One day after Empress Shuyuan was eight months pregnant, the first emperor suddenly became bedridden.

Shen Qing hastily entered the palace, he understood that the time had come for the first emperor to run out of fuel.

Empress Shuyuan was by his side, crying with her stomach full.She has such a peerless elegance, even when the pear blossoms are raining, she doesn't look embarrassed at all, but adds a different kind of beauty.

The late Emperor held Shen Qing's hand, and said to him with the last of his strength: "Master Chen, after I die, you must, must protect Wuxia and the two princes in her belly. One of them is the crown prince. I don't care. I would like to see the queen's natal family control the government. Another prince, you want to send him out of the palace and let him grow up properly. I can't accompany them, so I can only entrust it to you. Can you, can you do it?"

With tears in her eyes, Shen Qing nodded emphatically, "The old minister will definitely fulfill his mission."

Only then did the first emperor feel relieved, and gradually fell silent.

Empress Shuyuan fainted and was sent back to the palace by Shen Qing.

At that time, the Empress Dowager had already "give birth" for more than 20 days, and Empress Shuyuan's child was still in her womb. A country cannot live without a king.

Shen Qing has already made all the preparations, only when Empress Shuyuan gave birth, even if he risked his life, he would protect their mother and child well.

But Empress Shuyuan didn't know whether she was too afraid of the power of the Queen Mother and her natal family, or she didn't believe that Shen Qing could protect her and her child, or she couldn't trust Shen Qing, and she was unwilling to entrust the lives of mother and child to him.After she gave birth to a child, she smothered one to death with her own hands, and sent the other out of the palace as arranged by the late emperor.

Shen Qing got the news of Empress Shuyuan's birth that day, and immediately rushed to the Empress Dowager's Compassionate Ning Palace, trying to prevent her from doing anything that would hurt Empress Shuyuan.

At that time, it was the time of the morning court, and the queen mother had already changed her clothes and was about to go to the Golden Luan Hall with her son in her arms.

Shen Qing brought his soldiers in without hesitation, the queen mother was furious, and scolded: "Shen Qing! Are you going to force the palace?!"

Shen Qing was neither humble nor overbearing, bowed and said: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the old minister dare not offend. It's just that the old minister has an oral order from the late emperor before his death, that the prince born to Empress Shuyuan is the righteous prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Queen Mother also knew before that you are just an agent It’s only for a while. Now I ask the Queen Mother to obey the late emperor’s last wish.”

Where did the Empress Dowager agree, she immediately said: "Absurd! Ai's family is the first emperor's main palace, and the son of Ai's family is the eldest son! The first emperor was ill and confused, and you, Shen Qing, have to watch this act of abolishing the elders and setting up the young, and abolishing the sons and setting up the concubines." Seeing that Da Zhou is in dire straits! Wusun is just a tribute girl from a foreign country, leaving Ai’s family here, do you think her status is worthy of being the queen mother of a country?”

Just as Shen Qing was about to speak, a shrill scream suddenly came from the inner hall, both of them were startled.

The Empress Dowager turned around in a daze, only to see a wet nurse rushing out, almost fell to her knees on the ground, shaking like chaff, crying, "Empress Dowager, it's not good! Little Prince, the little Prince is dead—!"